(COAL MARKETS)
Australian miner New Hope's confidence in the continuing demand of Asian power generators for thermal coal lies behind its planned $860M acquisition of Wesfarmers Resources' 40% stake in the Bengalla coal mine.

(CONFERENCES) The turnaround in the situation of the Australian gold mining sector is credited for the revival in enthusiasm for the annual Diggers & Dealers forum this week, but it's about much more than gold.

(LOGISTICS) Ironbark Zinc expects to gain vital 'proof of concept' evidence with the visit of a pioneering cargo ship to the site of its planned 200,000tpa Citronen zinc project on Greenland's Arctic Ocean coast.

(DEVELOPMENT) Resolute Mining is targeting a development decision in 2019 after gaining its environmental permit and completing an updated feasibility study for the underground development of the mothballed Bibiani gold mine in Ghana.

(EXPLORATION) Canadian explorer BlueBird Battery Minerals continues its Australian buying spree with a $5.5M binding agreement to earn 75% of a large landholding in the emerging cobalt exploration belt near Broken Hill.